Queen updates: Biden arrives in London for funeral; Queen's grandchildren stand vigil by coffin
King Charles III made an unannounced visit Saturday to greet some of the thousands queuing to pay respects to Queen Elizabeth II, whose coffin is lying-in-state in Westminster Hall.
Charles and his son, Prince William, shook hands and thanked mourners in the miles-long line near Lambeth Bridge on Saturday.
Charles has made several impromptu walkabouts since he became king on Sept. 8, in an attempt to meet his subjects.
The new king also spent much of Saturday meeting with dignitaries who have come to London for his mother's funeral, set to take place Monday.
After queen's death, Britons say: We need to talk about the monarchy
In the morning, he held an audience at Buckingham Palace with the nation's military chiefs, and in the early afternoon, he was holding a reception for Governors General of the Realms – the monarch’s representatives in the U.K.’s former colonies ranging from Antigua and Barbuda to Tuvalu.
Charles also met with prime ministers Justin Trudeau of Canada, Anthony Albanese of Australia, Philip Davis of the Bahamas, Andrew Holness of Jamaica and New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern.
And later Saturday, all eight of Queen Elizabeth II's grandchildren stood vigil alongside her coffin.
Biden arrives in London for queen's funeral
U.S. President Joe Biden has arrived in London to pay his respects to the queen.
The president was expected to sign the official condolence book and attend a reception Sunday at Buckingham Palace hosted by King Charles III before attending the queen's funeral at Westminster Abbey on Monday.
Biden is among many world leaders traveling to the United Kingdom to honor Queen Elizabeth’s long reign. Biden and first lady Jill Biden were greeted at the airport by U.K. Ambassador Jane Hartley, Lord Lieutenant of Essex Jennifer Tolhurst and others.
After the queen’s death, Biden issued a proclamation directing that all American flags be flown at half staff “as a mark of respect for the memory of Queen Elizabeth II” until sunset on the day of her interment. Before coming to London, he spoke with the king to offer his condolences and went to the British Embassy.
Queen's grandchildren stand vigil by coffin
All eight of Queen Elizabeth II's grandchildren stood in silent vigil beside her coffin early Saturday evening.
King Charles III’s sons, William and Prince Harry, were joined by Princess Anne’s children, Zara Tindall and Peter Philips; Prince Andrew’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie; and the two children of Prince Edward – Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn.
William, now the heir to the throne, stood, his head bowed, at the head of the coffin and Harry at the foot. Both princes, who are military veterans, were in uniform. Harry wore civilian clothes days ago during the procession of the queen’s coffin from Buckingham Palace because he is no longer a working member of the royal family, but the king requested that both his sons wear their military uniforms at the vigil.
Before the vigil, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie issued a statement praising their “beloved grannie.”
“We, like many, thought you’d be here forever. And we all miss you terribly. You were our matriarch, our guide, our loving hand on our backs leading us through this world. You taught us so much and we will cherish those lessons and memories forever,” the sisters wrote.
Line for people with disabilities 'permanently closed'
The line for people with disabilities and mobility issues who want to pay their last respects to Queen Elizabeth II as her coffin lies in state has been closed.
The government announced Saturday afternoon that the queue “has reached full capacity and is now permanently closed.”
It says that all time slots have been allocated for those who are entitled to join the “accessible” queue, which is for people who have a disability or condition that means they cannot line up for extended periods of time. It is separate to the main queue, which remains open with waiting times around 13 hours.
British Prime Minister Liz Truss meets counterparts, skips meeting with Biden
British Prime Minister Liz Truss has met her counterparts from Australia and New Zealand who have arrived in town ahead of Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral on Monday.
Truss met with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New Zealand Premier Jacinda Ardern at the government’s Chevening country residence outside London on Saturday.
Ardern said the talks would focus on the queen’s death and King Charles III, as well as the war in Ukraine and the U.K.’s free trade agreement with New Zealand.
Truss had also been set to meet with President Joe Biden on Sunday, but the prime minister’s office said Saturday they would skip the weekend hello, opting instead for a meeting at the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday.
Of high concern for Biden officials is Truss' backing of legislation that would shred parts of the post-Brexit trading arrangements in Northern Ireland. Analysts say the move could cause deep strains between the U.K. and the European Union, and undermine peace in Northern Ireland.
People staking out locations to view the queen's funeral Monday
While the line continues near River Thames for mourners to pay their last respects to the late queen, others are already staking out prime viewing locations in the heart of London for the late monarch’s funeral on Monday.
Shirin Thorpe, 62, from Sevenoaks south of the English capital, arrived Thursday and was camped out Saturday near Westminster subway station. It's near the historic hall where the queen is lying in state and Westminster Abbey, where her funeral will be held.
She says, “There’s going to be millions of people here and we didn’t want to miss the chance.”
Thorpe and her friends are well prepared for a few nights of camping amid cold temperatures: They’ve brought inflatable mattresses, sleeping bags, winter coats and battery packs to keep gadgets running. They have hung Union Jack flags from security barriers and added a photograph of Elizabeth.
While the sun was shining Saturday, Thorpe says she’s ready to brave worse weather should it come.
She says, “We’re tough women like the Queen.”
At Windsor Castle, funeral rehearsal complete
Hundreds of troops from the British army, air force and navy have taken part in the first full rehearsal of the procession that will bring the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II to its final resting place.
With troops lining The Long Walk, a picturesque path leading to Windsor Castle, the thumping of drums echoed as marching bands walked ahead of a hearse early Saturday.
On Monday, they will do the same, only surrounded by thousands of people expected to travel to Windsor for a final farewell to the queen
Long lines continue, online condolence book opens to public
One has to wonder if the stunning and decorous tribute Britons are paying to the late Queen Elizabeth, who continues to lie in state in Westminster Hall, will ever be seen again.
Day after day, the lines stretch for miles as commoners and cultural royalty alike — soccer star David Beckham got in line at 2 a.m. just like anyone else and was done paying his respects by mid-morning — queue up to say goodbye to a 96-year-old woman who was the de facto face of Britain since 1952.
People waited for as many as 24 hours to get a glimpse of the queen's coffin - and they weren't allowed to take any photos.
But the general public can also pay their respects.
Mourners and well-wishers can send notes of condolence to the queen's family through the royal family's official website. Some messages will be shared with the royal family and others will be saved in the royal archives.
King Charles embraces UK's religious diversity in remarks
The new king, traditionally known as the "Defender of the Faith," called himself a "committed Anglican Christian" in a meeting with faith leaders Friday at Buckingham Palace. But he also embraced the faith diversity of modern Britain and promised to protect it.
The king reminded the leaders, meeting in the Bow Room, that as sovereign he takes oaths to uphold the Protestant faith in the U.K., but he believes he has an additional duty to protect "the space for faith itself."
"By my most profound convictions, therefore – as well as by my position as sovereign – I hold myself bound to respect those who follow other spiritual paths, as well as those who seek to live their lives in accordance with secular ideals," he said.
"This conviction was the foundation of everything my beloved mother did for our country, over her years as our queen," he said. "It has been the foundation of my own work as Prince of Wales. It will continue to be the foundation of all my work as king."
One has to wonder if the stunning and decorous tribute Britons are paying to the late Queen Elizabeth, who continues to lie in state in Westminster Hall, will ever be seen again.
Day after day, the lines stretch for miles as commoners and cultural royalty alike — soccer star David Beckham got in line at 2 a.m. just like anyone else and was done paying his respects by mid-morning — queue up to say goodbye to a 96-year-old woman who was the de facto face of Britain since 1952.
More: Prince Charles is now King Charles III. Here's what to know about UK's new monarch.
King Charles III stands vigil at his mother's side
King Charles III, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward stood with their backs to the flag-draped coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, their heads bowed.
The mourners kept silently streaming into Westminster Hall Friday evening even as King Charles III and his three siblings stood vigil around the flag-draped coffin for 15 minutes. A baby’s cry was the only sound.
Those who came often bowed before the coffin or made a sign of the cross. Several veterans, their medals shining in the spotlights, offered sharp salutes. Some people wept. Many hugged one another as they stepped away, proud to have spent hours in line to offer a tribute, even if it lasted only a few moments.
Police arrest man for touching queen's coffin
A man was arrested late Friday "following a disturbance" in Westminster Hall, where Queen Elizabeth II's coffin is lying-in-state ahead of her funeral Monday, British police said.
In a brief statement, London's Metropolitan Police said "officers from the Met's Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command detained a man" under "the Public Order Act."
The man remains in custody. No other details were released.
Multiple reports from British media including the BBC and The Guardian, citing eyewitness reports, said the man ran up to and touched the coffin and attempted to pull the Royal Standard off the coffin before he was swiftly arrested. Live broadcasts showing the lying-in-state cut away from the scene and showed the view from outside Parliament.
Since the queen's death, there have been a number of isolated protests, mostly directed at the new king, Charles III, though surveys show the majority of the British public support the British monarchy, which can trace its origins back at least 1,000 years to early medieval times.
World leaders traveling to attend queen's funeral Monday
Leaders from across the globe were mobilizing Saturday to attend the queen's funeral set to take place Monday.
Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako left for Britain on Saturday in their first visit as Emperor and Empress to attend the queen's funeral. The British royal family is considered as a model for Japan’s monarchy in modern history.
The decision for the emperor and empress to attend the queen’s funeral underscores the importance and the deep bond between the royal families. Traditionally, a Japanese emperor stays away from funerals except for those of their own parents because of a cultural belief based in the Shinto religion that considers death impure.
China announced Saturday that Vice President Wang Qishan would attend the funeral of the queen as the special representative of President Xi Jinping.
A group of British legislators sanctioned by China have expressed concern that the Chinese government has been invited to the funeral. One told the BBC the invitation should be rescinded because of human rights abuses in the treatment of the Uyghur ethnic group in China’s far-western region of Xinjiang.
Contributing: The Associated Press; Edward Segarra, Marco della Cava, Kim Hjjelmgaard, Morgan Hines, Elise Brisco and Maria Puente, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Queen updates: President Biden arrives in London for funeral